Schuring Family | Brisbane Family Photography

12 Months | 12 Families ... 2 of 12

Meet The Schuring family, one of my families participating in my Twelve Months Twelve Families project. It's so fun to start seeing this project really get underway! 

Family sessions are the core of my business, the work that I love spending the bulk of my time doing, but that doesn't always mean it's easy. Millie - usually a massive fan of having her photo taken - was not into it the afternoon of our session. We were having trouble leaving their house in fact. In that situation there are two options ... 1. negotiate with a young child who doesn't want to hear any of it, or 2. go to the park and let them play until they were happy to chat about photos. Option 2 is always a winner, and it wasn't long until Millie was super keen to get in front my camera.  

We moved a little way down the park to make these really fun family photos, photos full of all of their crazy, their laughter, their snuggles and their cheekiness.  

The girls were a hoot and completely embraced the 'have fun' direction I gave them! It absolutely makes my job that much easier when the kids are comfortable enough to be themselves, it makes the afternoon easier for mum and dad too! 

Thanks so much for signing up to the project Libby! It was so great to photograph your family and spend an afternoon photographing all of the love you're so clearly surrounded by. xx

Click through to the contact page to get in touch to chat about a session like this for your family. 

Pentax 645n  +  Portra 400

Nikon F4  +  Acros & Fuji Superia 20

Welcome Madison Lee

My lovely friend Candice recently welcomed her first daughter ... making her sweet little family now a beautiful FIVE.  I photographed her family just five short days after Madison was born, which was perfect because all she was interested in was eating and sleeping and was phased when her adoring big brothers fussed over her. 

Candice is a warm, easy going and light hearted mama to her beautiful babies.  If she felt flustered during my visit, I couldn't tell.  She easily comforted one child while tending to the needs of another all while cradling her sweet girl in her arms.  Candice told me how Madison immediately fell into place within their family, how even after only five short days that they couldn't imagine life without her in it.  Just as it should be. 

Babies are always, always a blessing, and I think should be welcomed into a family just the way beautiful Madison has been - with open arms, hearts full of adoration and celebration at her arrival.  These four are certainly smitten with their new family member, she will never be short of a cuddle, a soothing voice or barrels of fun when she's old enough to run around with her brothers.  What a lucky little lady indeed!

When I asked Candice if I could share a few photographs from their session on my website and blog, she hesitated a moment, which sometimes happens and is always respected.  Sharing my work online is important to keep my business going, to show my work as it evolves and grows, to show off the beautiful people I am invited to photograph - and I am always grateful when clients allow me to share their memories.  But they're just that, these photographs belong to my clients more than they do me, so if a client feels strongly about keep their photographs offline, I'm happy to oblige. 

Candice did agree to allow me to share her photographs, but with the caveat that I only share a handful.  This beautiful mama bird wants to share only a glimpse at her session - and her brand new party of five - with the world, she wants to keep the rest of them to herself.  Which is absolutely perfect.  I'm grateful to have been invited into their home to document this precious season in their life.  Welcome Madixx

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All photographs shot on Pentax 645n with Porta 400 (black and white have been converted after scanning the negatives).  Processed and scanned by AllChromes in Brisbane.

In home lifestyle sessions are a beautiful way to document your family.  A Full Service session is $400 (more information can be found here) and I am currently taking booking for June onwards.  Please call me on 0452 394 908 or email me at hello@reneetrubai.com.au to book your session. 

Waiting on Baby Marsh | Brisbane Maternity Photographer

Meet my beautiful friend Angie ... we have been friends since we were twelve years old, beginning grade eight together - both sporting very high, unmoving fringes typical of the early 90s, and I'm sure I remember that Angie's was always far more impressive than mine.  We spent a lot of time after we finished high school too, especially around the years her eldest daughter, Crystal was born.  We haven't seen each other in person for years now, and the first thing I realised when we met up for these photographs, was that she has not changed a bit since our teen years.  Both in her gorgeous looks, and in her kind and easy-to-laugh nature. 

Her little man kept Angie and Tim waiting right to the very end of our hot and humid summer in Brisbane, and even choose a super special day to be born, he made his grand entrance on February 29th.  One thing is for absolute certain, life for this little man will be full of so much laughter and a heck of a lot of love, not just from his parents and his siblings, but from his extended family too, especially a great gaggle of cousins to grow up surrounded by to play with and guide him through his years. 

Here are a handful of the photographs we made late on a Sunday afternoon at the City Botanic Gardens in Brisbane.  Working through these photographs to choose the few I wanted to showcase for this blog post, I couldn't help but grin the whole time, the joy you can see on their faces here is almost as real as it is in person with these guys. 

Another thing Angie & Tim's little boy will have are two doting back up mums in his big sisters.  The parenting this little man will receive is evident in these genuinely lovely girls.  Most teenagers are a little aloof or uninterested in hanging out with their family during a photo session, and while they weren't super keen on having their photo taken together, they did without complaining though.  They might not believe me now, but one day when they're older I know they'll appreciate it as much as their mum does now. 

Thank you, Angie and Tim for asking me to photograph this really special time of your life, it was a genuine pleasure spending the afternoon with you.  I can't wait to meet and snuggle your little boy, and hope your days in the coming weeks are full of sleep, milk-fuelled naps and lots of visitors popping over to cook you dinnerxx

Welcome Walker

It was always the plan to make some newborn photographs of little Walker, but when Mardee suggested a few more posed option, we brought our date forward to when he was a sweet 7 days old.  By this stage, Mardee and I had been texting all week - which mostly consisted of me trying to come across as supportive and available while giving them newborn-fog space I know you need in those days ... I'm not sure I pulled it off.  Mardee had let me know that during that week, Walker had slept a solid 5 hours, through the hours that count - the midnight to five am kind.  Bravo!  What a little champ they have on their hands, he's sleeping like a super star, feeding like a super star and somehow managing to style his own gorgeous head full of hair!

There's a lot of 'in between' moments during a newborn session, time for nappy changes and milk top ups, settling and burping, rocking and sweet talking them off to sleep.  These are my favourite moments to photograph because after I pack up and head home, that is the sort of stuff that keeps on keeping on with life as a newborn. 
Once Walker was sound asleep, and I was settling his little feet into the photograph above, something happened that has never happened before during a session.  I heard a small sob behind me.  I turned around and my beautiful, strong, ballsy, no-BS, hilarious, kind, independent, go-her-own-way friend was having a quiet cry at the sight of her little boy.  I adore thinking back on that small moment, I had to sort of ignore it at the time or I would have joined in with her.  This time of life is magic. 

Daddy's are pretty great at settling their newborns off to sleep - it's generally the no milk factor - but I think it's a degree of no-fuss as well.  Pete was no exception.  He put on some tunes, rocked Walker and snuggled him with some skin to skin time, which resulted in one my favourite newborn photographs, ever. 

After you become a parent yourself, it is such a treat to watch your friends become parents right alongside you, to snuggle their babies, to change a nappy so that it means one less they'll have to do, to compare experiences, learn new things, recommend and loan great books and build on the little village you already had, only now it feels stronger and more bonded.  These guys and their little family of five, have always been an integral part of our village and I'm so pleased we're a part of theirs.  Being the person that is standing right alongside them documenting these first days, is an honour.

Waiting for Baby Frost

As of yesterday morning, we are no longer waiting for Baby Frost.  Just two short days after we met to make these photographs, tiny and clearly impatient Harry decided to make his much anticipated arrival.  Thank goodness mother nature held out for us, because after postponing previously due to summer storms, I'm not sure that Harry would have waited any longer. 

Late Sunday afternoon we met at Wellington Point.  I asked Alyca and Matt to think of somewhere on the water near them that would be suitable for our session, because I know they spend a lot of time around the waters edge.  We kicked off our shoes and wandered down to the sticky mangrove-edged sand and played really.  This family of three, more on the cusp of becoming four than they knew, walked around muddy pools looking for treasures, chatted about their little boy on the way, and indulged in a fair few snuggles-come-tickles under the blanket made for Lyla by her great-grandmother. And when Lyla needed a break to head to the playground with dad, Alyca and I worked together to make a few portraits of her in-full-bloom pregnant form.

Lyla, (as you'll read further on) wasn't into having a conventional family photo taken, and while it would have been nice to have amongst their collection of photographs ... wow, I'm sure glad she protested so much, because look at what we made instead. 

I have never photographed a child who I couldn't win over, even just for a few seconds to take the sort of family photograph that everyone likes to have - three beautiful smiling faces looking down the lens of my camera.  But, I hadn't met Lyla before.  Dear, spirited Lyla - who is also as adorable as can be, as spirited children usually are - beat me.  The choc-chip cookies didn't help sway her, she took one in each hand and off she went.  I'm far from disappointed though, I'm impressed!  This gorgeous little lady, who knows exactly what she wants and what she does not, will be a force to reckon with as she grows up, so look out world.  Spirited children make for the most capable, confident and intriguing adults.  Probably not much help to mum and dad first thing in the morning right now, but enviable nonetheless.  

One thing Lyla will have on her side her whole life, is love.  And not just oodles of love lavished upon her, but she has the very best example of a really kind, completely joy-filled and loving relationship in her parents.  I didn't pose these two much, it was a very vague sort of "snuggle up together, feel free to have a kiss" and that was that.  Look at them.  It really brings tears to my eyes every time I look at these photographs, the love between them is obvious and powerful.  I don't think I have ever overheard so many I love you's being passed back and forth as I did in this session.  It's magic, and they're truly some of the lucky few. 

I know that today, this little family will be bunkered down in hospital marvelling at their new son and wondering how lucky they are to have these children.  I know that they will have already learnt how in an instant, that your heart is not divided, it only grows with a new baby.  And I know that they will be as awesome at parenting two children as they have been at parenting one. 

And I hope they know I will take them up on their offer to visit soon to be introduced to their son, and indulge in some precious newborn snuggles.  xx

Cameron - Eight Months

If you've ever met me in person, you'd know that I'm not usually lost for words, but I'm sitting here staring at a blinking cursor really unsure of what to write for this post.  It's not that I have nothing to say, quite the opposite actually, I have too much to say, too much history and too much knowing to choose what my focus will fall on.  So here goes...

This little ball of pure delight is the second son of one of my dearest friends.  She's my 'every day' friend, the friend I talk to most frequently, the friend I can talk about pretty much anything with - even if it is by text message more often than not - the friend who I text at lunch time to say that I've baked a cake, the house is a mess and I'm in my trackies with no intention of changing ... wanna come around?  And she does.  In her trackies and we let our kids make a bigger mess while we have a cup of tea, two slices of cake and half conversations.  In this season of our lives, we're parenting together.  We celebrate and commiserate over parenting, we wrangle, cuddle, reign in and love-on our gaggle of kids, no matter who they belong to.  We have a seemingly endless supply of hand-me-downs passing back and forth between our boys, that means so much more to both of us than a few dollars saved. 

She is the most thoughtful person I have ever met. Ever.  Without exaggeration.  So when I asked if I could come over to run a test roll through my new camera with Cameron, I left with a loaf of warm homemade sourdough, half a chocolate cake and a box full of her mother's glassware that will be much loved in our home.  And these photographs of her little love, are for her.

We've known each other since we were twelve, though we only became proper friends as adults.  We've had lots of wonderful times together, one of the best New Year's Eve's I've ever had, cried and celebrated at each other's weddings, snuggled every newborn baby like they were a little piece of us too.  And they are. 

The best thing to come after all these years is that our families are friends.  So much so that every now and then I float the idea of building a home on the spare block next door to them.  The thought of a gate between our fences and kids running back and forth brings me so much joy.  Our own little village raising small children together, which we're already doing now, except how much better would it be in person instead of via text?!  Which would mean extra cuddles with this happy little guy. 

It's Friday afternoon - let's give a cheers to our wonderful friends like this fabulous woman, via text message, with martini glass emoji'sxx

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We spent about 15 minutes on this mini session with Cameron.  Two rolls of film.  To me, it's the perfect amount of time and photographs resulting from it.  Too much longer and he would have become bored with me, any more film and we're just starting to double up on what we've already taken.  If the whole family was involved in a session, we'd most definitely use more film, and spend more time, but not by much.  Mini sessions are all about quality over quantity - both in the photographs you take home with and the time we spend getting them.  Head to the contact page to ask for a look at my 2016 mini session dates before they're announced next week. 

Pentax 645n | Kodak Ektar & Kodak Porta 400 | 75mm 2.8

Waiting for Squidge

My beautifully-spirited, hilarious friend Mardee and her adoring (and clearly, equally as hilarious) husband Pete met me in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens for the third in their series of three pregnancy portrait sessions, 22 days shy of their little darling's due date. 

There really is something about a woman at that point in her pregnancy, perhaps because she's a good friend, it seems more palpable with Mardee. Mardee is an easy person to be happy with, to have a truckload of fun with and laugh till your cheeks hurt. But there is a different version of joy beaming from her right now ... a heady combination of realising this dream about to come true and the ultimate version anticipation, I'm sure. As someone who cares for her happiness, it's an absolute joy to witness. It's a bigger honour to be entrusted with preserving this precious moment for her, a moment that will one day seem like it was just a blink of the eye. 

I wish I could take credit for all the gorgeous laughter in this set of photographs, but it's all them ... or all Pete. Laughter makes marriage go-round, right? They've got that in spades.  

Did I describe Pete as adoring? Well, this just confirms it all. I asked if there was something, in all three of their sessions that I've missed - speak now or forever hold your peace - Pete asked if we could recreate the final scene from the movie Notting Hill, so here it is. Their sweet version of 'happily ever after'.

You guys are rocking this life. Thank you for welcoming into your secret circle of becoming parents together, it's such a joy. I cannot wait to endlessly snuggle your little bundle of joy. x 

All except the last two frames, photographed on my Pentax 645n, with Portra 800 and the stunning 105mm lens. Developed an scanned by AllChromes, Brisbane. 

Welcome Oliver

Meet gorgeous, bursting with chubba baby Oliver.  I invited myself over to Peta & Dave's place to meet Oliver when he was 10 days old, have a few snuggles to stave off the cluckiness and to take a few documentary style photographs of their family while I was there. 

Peta is a photographer herself, she creates beautiful posed newborn work (scroll to the bottom for a link to her work) but as a mama of two who both times attempted to photograph her own babies, I know how difficult it can be and how quickly time flies, especially when you have a busy toddler to care for at the same time. 

We sat in the kitchen for coffee and cake (never visit the home of a newborn without food ;-) while Peta & Dave filled me in on Oliver's arrival and how life has been since then.  William remembered me from their pregnancy portraits (here) and was instant buddies with me again, getting mama's spare camera out to assist me for the morning. 

Once everyone's tummies were full, we moved into the bedroom to attempt a family portrait - right before William's nap time.  For a little guy who was tired and had had a big few days welcoming baby brother, he did pretty well.

When daddy took William out for a nap, it was the Mama and Oliver show.  Just as it should be.  A mama of a newborn can never have too many photographs of herself just being mama to her tiny babe.  Life is busy, days slip by and mama is usually the one taking snap shots.  It's so important to keep mama in the picture!  It was plain to see how Peta was still riding a glorious high from her peaceful water birth at home, with Dave and William by her side through it all. 

Documentary sessions have my heart, especially when welcoming a new baby.  These are the moments you'll look back on with so much fondness - the 'everydayness' of life with the addition of something as special and enchanting as a brand new life. 

Hanging out with these guys was a joy.  Though we've only meet twice in person, they are easy-going, easy-to-laugh and so kind.  Can't wait to get back for another natter and bubba snuggles over their kitchen table x

As I mentioned earlier, Peta is a Brisbane based photographer too, with a focus on beautiful posed newborn work (you can check out Peta's work on Facebook, here), so while I was there for a visit, I suggested I could be Pete's extra pair of hands while she photographed Oliver in her own style.  We got a couple of frames and a pose or two out of him before he protested and it was time for milk again.  I couldn't resist snapping a frame from above Peta's pose ... all that gorgeous squish and soft roundness was irresistible!

The Barton Family

This newborn session was the final session in the Pregnancy & Newborn Collection that Renee & Kaine purchased to document the arrival of their gorgeous little man, Jesse Jack. 

Jesse was fifteen days old for this session, and considering how unpredictable newborn babies can be, and my love for the real moments in life, we decided on approaching this session in a very documentary manner.  Aside from a few suggestions of where to move to (the bedroom to snuggle up together and interact with their very alert little man, or by the window for a few last family frames at the end of our session), and the small collection of more posed photographs of Jesse wrapped (which we only attempted because he slept so soundly and Renee & Kaine had requested we give it a go), we stuck true to the fly-on-the wall style of documentary photography.  I hovered around the edges of this new family figuring out a very tiny and very slippery baby at bath time, when we paused for multiple feeds throughout the morning, I snapped away, and when dad was consoling an unsettled little man curled up on his chest.  These are how our days as parents of newborns are spent - doing what needs to be done for this tiny new person, and figuring out the routine of our previous lives around that.  For me, this is very best way to photograph a newborn, because when you're in the thick of it yourself, the tasks you often look upon as just that - a chore to be completed for the day - or something seemingly mundane in it's familiarity and repetition, it's so easy to overlook the beauty in those moments.

Once your baby grows a little bigger, becomes a little more adept at holding himself up, and undressing them doesn't feel so worrying - memories of what it felt like to bathe your delicate newborn fade a just a little.  Once you've established breastfeeding and those feeds begin to spread further apart, the memory of dad topping up a breastfeed with a bottle, when before you know it you're breastfeeding him again - those days when cluster feeding and growth spurts make you feel like all you've achieved all day long is feed your baby - those days begin to fade a little too, and you wonder if your mind is playing tricks on you when you think back on how much your life revolved around milk.

When I sent these guys a couple of photographs from this session for a quick look before the whole set was complete, Renee commented that she looked so tired.  For the most part, I don't think she looks overly tired, she looks a bit smitten mostly.  Though towards the end there are one or two where Renee does look tired, which is just what life was like for them then in those newborn weeks.  Only days after an intense labour and delivery, which of course sends you immediately into an exhaustion beyond what you imagined, alongside meeting the almost unrelenting needs and demands of your baby - it's only natural.  I for one am glad that there are those few photographs amongst this set that show that very real part of new parenthood, because through all of that, she still can't wipe the grin off her face.  When Jesse is old enough to recognise his mother's exhaustion, he will also see her pride at being his mama beaming from her face.

May every woman be looked upon with such obvious adoration, pride and love, as Renee is in this photograph.

I say this for most parents I work with, because it's absolutely true, and parents are making their experience their own and everyone is doing their very best.  But, these guys are doing parenthood SO WELL.  Not only that, but they're doing marriage, so well, all at the same time.  They're laying it all out there for you too, they both blog about parenthood, and their lives in general, over at NOT SO SECRET LIFE OF US.  Go check it out, follow them on Facebook HERE for their latest updates and cheer them on!  It's an entertaining, heart-strings-tugging and very honest account of their life right now.  xx

If you've missed any of the sessions from their Pregnancy & Newborn Collection, you can find their previous blog posts below.
Pregnancy Session - 29 weeks
Pregnancy Session - 35 weeks, part I
First Days Session - 22 hours old
 

The Honour Family

In the last days of winter, I was invited into the Honour Family's home to meet BJ and Nikki's sweet new son Phillip, and to make some photographs of them as a brand new family.  Phillip was a delight - I'm such a sucker for a bubba with big round cheeks like his.

If you've ever wondered what a lifestyle newborn or family session looks like, as opposed to a more posed session, this session is it.  We hung out in mum and dad's bedroom for the most part, asking everyone to snuggle up closely together on their bed.  We worked to Phillip's needs, pausing for a feed, to change his nappy, to stretch his legs to help out with a tummy upset.  During this time we chat, mostly about parenthood of course, or I might snap a few frames if it won't be too disruptive, or it's a good time to reload film and replenish the stash in my pockets.  Once Phillip was feeling a little more settled after a break, we got back to work.  We work to what feels natural, so parents will usually hold their baby as they normally do, I only asking them to move a little if it will improve our lighting, or if the baby is getting lost in layers of mum and dad's clothes, or in the crook of an arm.  I may ask the other parent to join us if everyone is comfortable and settled and we can make an extra family portrait or two.  I may ask the other parent to take the baby for a while if I feel I need a few more photographs to balance out the final collection.  Usually mum and dad will suggest a location pose change, and where it suits, I absolutely accommodate it - like the beautiful family portraits under the trees in BJ and Nikki's backyard at the end of this post.
But for the most part, we just hang out together.  It's relatively pressure free really.  And no two collections of photographs will look the same.   I hope you enjoy a little glimpse into the Honour Family's lifestyle newborn session. 

Phillip was cheery, alert and so accommodating during our session, but it was the bright morning sunshine had his attention.  Or dad, dad could steal his attention for a moment to get some killer smiles from him.  Can you believe Phillip is only six weeks old? 
Some may think that six weeks is a little far along for a newborn session, and yes, your baby will have grown and changed substantially in those short weeks, but I am growing more and more fond of sessions at this age.  The babies are a little more alert and active - look at cheeky Phillip's tongue poking and gorgeous grins in the photographs below - parents usually feel a little more settled into parenthood, mum has had time to recover somewhat from birth and they're usually more relaxed about having someone come into their home to document them parenting - and if they aren't yet getting more sleep, hopefully they've figured out the best part of the day to join their bub for a nap.  You most definitely have not missed the boat when waiting a couple of weeks to book in your session. 

I'm grateful for being invited into this kind family's home to preserve this special time of their life with photography.  These guys are such natural, easy-going parents, and even as a young baby, Phillip is a great reflection of that.  I can't say that I've ever seen a mama look so gentle and blissfully happy in almost every single photograph of her with her boys, she's head over heels for her littlest man, that's for sure.  This is such a precious season of life for them all.

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A note on styling your family for your session.  A lot of families do default to beautiful and delicate whites, pastels and neutral tones when preparing what they'll all wear for their session, which is always classic and lovely - but don't be afraid of bold colour, like Nikki and BJ have done for their session.  These deeps shades of blues, denims and charcoals are stunning, and have photographed so well. They will present beautifully in the navy coloured leather Nikki has chosen for their family album.